Bill Text: HI SB2919 | 2010 | Regular Session | Amended

---

Bill Title: Department of Public Safety; Security of Hawaii State Hospital

Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Democrat 4-0)

Status: (Vetoed) 2010-07-06 - (S) Vetoed on 07-06-10 - Returned from the Governor without approval (Gov. Msg. No. 679). [SB2919 Detail]

Download: Hawaii-2010-SB2919-Amended.html

---

 

 

CONFERENCE COMMITTEE REP. NO. 83-10

 

Honolulu, Hawaii

                 , 2010

 

RE:    S.B. No. 2919

       S.D. 1

       H.D. 1

       C.D. 1

 

 

 

Honorable Colleen Hanabusa

President of the Senate

Twenty-Fifth State Legislature

Regular Session of 2010

State of Hawaii

 

Honorable Calvin K.Y. Say

Speaker, House of Representatives

Twenty-Fifth State Legislature

Regular Session of 2010

State of Hawaii

 

Madam and Sir:

 

     Your Committee on Conference on the disagreeing vote of the Senate to the amendments proposed by the House of Representatives in S.B. No. 2919, S.D. 1, H.D. 1, entitled:

 

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO THE HAWAII STATE HOSPITAL,"

 

having met, and after full and free discussion, has agreed to recommend and does recommend to the respective Houses the final passage of this bill in an amended form.

 

     The purpose of this measure is to require the Department of Public Safety to provide support for security at the Hawaii State Hospital and require the Department of Health, in collaboration with the Department of Public Safety, to report to the Legislature the plan for the provision of short- and long-term security for the Hawaii State Hospital.

 

     Your Committee finds that the patients at the Hawaii State Hospital are considered to be in need of confinement, including forensic patients committed to institutionalization by the courts.  The recent escape on December 3, 2009 of a forensic patient who was committed to the Hospital in 2002 after allegedly committing kidnapping and sexual assault on a child illustrates the present security deficit at the Hospital.

 

     Your Committee further finds that the Hawaii State Hospital has suffered budget cuts and reductions in security positions, leaving the hospital vulnerable to escapes and security risks.  Averaging six escapes a year and with numerous assaults upon staff, the high occupancy at the hospital, coupled with the budget cuts and security reductions, have compromised and jeopardized the safety of the workers and patients at the facility, as well as the community and surrounding neighborhood.  This measure will help to address these security concerns at the Hawaii State Hospital and hopefully prevent future escapes and assaults on staff members.

 

     Your Committee has amended this measure by:

 

     (1)  Requiring the Department of Public Safety to provide security at the Hawaii State Hospital;

 

     (2)  Changing the effective date to upon approval; and

 

     (3)  Making technical, nonsubstantive changes for the purposes of style, consistency, and clarity.

 

     As affirmed by the record of votes of the managers of your Committee on Conference that is attached to this report, your Committee on Conference is in accord with the intent and purpose of S.B. No. 2919, S.D. 1, H.D. 1, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Final Reading in the form attached hereto as S.B. No. 2919, S.D. 1, H.D. 1, C.D. 1.

 

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the managers:

 

ON THE PART OF THE HOUSE

ON THE PART OF THE SENATE

 

____________________________ RYAN I. YAMANE, Co-Chair		____________________________ DAVID Y. IGE, Chair
____________________________ FAYE HANOHANO, Co-Chair		____________________________ WILL ESPERO, Co-Chair
____________________________ SCOTT NISHIMOTO, Co-Chair		____________________________ SHAN S. TSUTSUI, Co-Chair